nguishable hatred of their old masters. But these Helots were
probably the descendants of the old Messenians whom Sparta had conquered.
This renovation of Messenia, and the building of the two cities, Messenia
and Megalopolis, was the work of Epaminondas, and were the most important
events of the day. The latter city was designed as the centre of a new
confederacy, comprising all Arcadia.

(M642) Sparta being thus crippled, dismembered, and humbled, Epaminondas
evacuated the Peloponnesus, filled, however, with undiminished hostility.
Sparta condescends to solicit aid from Athens, so completely was its power
broken by the Theban State, and Athens consents to assist her, in the
growing fear and jealousy of Thebes, thereby showing that the animosities
of the Grecian States grew out of political jealousy rather than from
revenge or injury. To rescue Sparta was a wise policy, if it were
necessary to maintain a counterpoise against the ascendency of Thebes. An
army was raised, and Iphicrates was appointed general. He first marched to
Corinth, and from thence into Arcadia, but made war with no important
results.

(M643) Such were the great political changes which occurred within two
years under the influence of such a hero as Epaminondas. Laconia had been
invaded and devastated, the Spartans were confined within their walls,
Messenia had been liberated from Spartan rule, two important cities had
been built, to serve as great fortresses to depress Sparta, Helots were
converted into freemen, and Greece generally had been emancipated from the
Spartan yoke. Such were the consequences of the battle of Leuctra.

And this battle, which thus destroyed the prestige of Sparta, also led to
renewed hopes on the part of the Athenians to regain the power they had
lost. Athens already had regained the ascendency on the sea, and looked
for increased maritime aggrandizement. On the land she could only remain a
second class power, and serve as a bulwark against Theban ascendency.

(M644) Athens sought also to recover Amphipolis--a maritime city, colonized
by Athenians, at the head of the Strymonican Gulf, in Macedonia, which was
taken from her in the Peloponnesian war, by Brasidas. Amyntas, the king of
Macedonia, seeking aid against Jason of Pherae, whose Thessalian dominion
and personal talents and ambition combined to make him a powerful
potentate, consented to the right of Athens to this city. But Amyntas died
not long after the assassinat